Unfortunately I am unable to complete the audio section of the review in time due to my hectic schedule this month. I will still answer your questions if you have any.
I can summarize a few points of the SQ between the walkman and cowon. These are my observations so do not heavily base your purchase on this :)
Lineout (walkman via LOD--> FIIO, cowon 3.5mm jack -->FIIO)
- The walkman demonstrates an improvement in SQ when paired with my fiio amp. I do not recall the cowon showing any improvement.
Sound Signature
- Both are fairly neutral and flat with no dramatic emphasis on the audio spectrum (unlike the walkman A series which is a little bright on the highs)
- The cowon is a tad warmer.
- The walkman gives you a more 'transparent' and 'airy' feel than the j3.
- I dont know whether this is a placebo effect of having the cowon for 3 years but i just feel that the walkman Z provides far better imaging and instrument seperation than the cowon. I paired the walkman with high end and inexpensive IEMs and the results were better than the my experience with the J3 and S9. If i were to listen to the cowon again, I would say it is muddy and 'clustered'.
- I prefer the bass of the walkman to the cowon. Unlike the j3, it doesnt bleed into the mids and it is fairly accurate yet impactful. I was never a fan of the mach3bass :)
- The cowon provides much better sound enhancements than the walkman. The NW-Z1000 might be on a losing end if paired with a low end IEM as it's
trademark sound enhancer doesnt seem to have an impact unlike cowon's BBE.
If you're going for the walkman, I advise you to pair it with a good IEM to make the most of out its default sound. I recalled my experience with the J3 was more of trying to find the right customization and EQ but i dont feel the need with the NW-Z1000 as it sounds pretty accurate on its own.
